Golf: Boxers miss chance at national tourney
Sami Richards
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: Sports
Before the weekend of the Northwest Conference Championship in McKenzie Bridge, the Pacific men's golf team was so close to taking first place in the conference they could taste it.
Coming into the weekend, the Boxers were one point ahead of second place holder in the golf standings, Linfield College. Unfortunately for the men, some high scores and difficult putting greens kept them from finishing on top.
The women's team was not as close to the top of the conference coming into the weekend championship, but had not lost all hope for a chance to make it to nationals.
In the end, the men's team finished the championship in fourth and the women's team in fifth.
On the men's side, Linfield secured the team championship and the automatic berth to the NCAA Championships with a score of 604. They finished with 30 points in the championship standings, five points ahead of a second place tie between Pacific and Puget Sound.
Fortunately for the team, the weekend had some smaller victories. Sophomore Max Bonk won the tournament, giving him his second straight NWC Championship title.
The victory was Bonk's seventh straight during the spring season. He has also collected victories in four of the six NWC championship tournaments he has competed in (including two Spring Classic wins).
Because of the team's loss, Bonk's chance to go to Nationals in Port St. Lucie, Flor. is up in the air - the results will be announced May 4.
For the women, sophomore Valerie Kitamori, posted the lowest scores for the team. She just missed earning all-conference honors by one stroke Sunday, finishing seventh to lead Pacific to their fifth place finish at the NWC Women's Golf Championships, held at the Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima, Wash.
Windy conditions created a tough first day for the women.As a team, the Boxers saw their team score drop by 26 strokes from the first day, carding a 359 on the final 18 holes to finish at 744. The improvement, however, was not enough to move up in the point standings.
Coming into the weekend, the Boxers were one point ahead of second place holder in the golf standings, Linfield College. Unfortunately for the men, some high scores and difficult putting greens kept them from finishing on top.
The women's team was not as close to the top of the conference coming into the weekend championship, but had not lost all hope for a chance to make it to nationals.
In the end, the men's team finished the championship in fourth and the women's team in fifth.
On the men's side, Linfield secured the team championship and the automatic berth to the NCAA Championships with a score of 604. They finished with 30 points in the championship standings, five points ahead of a second place tie between Pacific and Puget Sound.
Fortunately for the team, the weekend had some smaller victories. Sophomore Max Bonk won the tournament, giving him his second straight NWC Championship title.
The victory was Bonk's seventh straight during the spring season. He has also collected victories in four of the six NWC championship tournaments he has competed in (including two Spring Classic wins).
Because of the team's loss, Bonk's chance to go to Nationals in Port St. Lucie, Flor. is up in the air - the results will be announced May 4.
For the women, sophomore Valerie Kitamori, posted the lowest scores for the team. She just missed earning all-conference honors by one stroke Sunday, finishing seventh to lead Pacific to their fifth place finish at the NWC Women's Golf Championships, held at the Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima, Wash.
Windy conditions created a tough first day for the women.As a team, the Boxers saw their team score drop by 26 strokes from the first day, carding a 359 on the final 18 holes to finish at 744. The improvement, however, was not enough to move up in the point standings.
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